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D.F.ASBUBY. FIRING MECHANISM FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. L916.

Patented July 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 'l M WM 1 dl'l'owuna THE COLUMBIA PL'ANOORAPH 50.,WASHINGTON. D. c.

'n. F. ASBURY. FIRING MECHANISMFOR GUNS. APPLICATION flLED' FEB. 3.I916.

-Patentd July 15, 191-9.

4 SHE'EYTSSHEET 2.

Witwemeo THE coLUMMA PLANOflRAPl-l c0-, WASHINGTON. m c.

D. F. ASBURY.

FIRING MECHANISM FOR GUNS. APPLICATION FILE D FEB. 3. I916- PatentedJuly 15, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- Q Q .& 1 l

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n. F. ASBURY. FIRING MECHANISM FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED F-EB. 3.1916- Patentd July 15, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M H= illil wwl a i WNW mama TED sTA'rEs PATENT omuon.

poRsEY. FROST ASBURY, or WASHINGTON, DIsTRIcT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TOUNITED-STATES ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUM- BIA,*A CORPORATION or VIRGINIA.

FIRING- MECHANISM FOB/GUNS. I

To all whom it may concern: I

Be itknown that I, DORSEY F. AsBURY,

' a citizen of" the United States,residing at -Washington, District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFi'ringMechanisms for Guns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

' clear,,and exact description of the invention,

.,snch as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same. e My, invention relates to firlng mechanisms.for guns and is more particularly an imv provement of the firingmechanlsm disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,020,849 grantedtoGeorge L; Smith and myself March 19, i' 71912. i

The objects of my invention are to provide i means. foroperating thelock frame from a shaft having, its axis of rotation at an angle to thedirection of the sliding movement of -the'plock frame; to provide meansbetween the lock operator bar and the shaft to positively pull out thewedge, said means belng "ineffective with respect to the operator bar I1 when the wedge is being pushed home by the firing main spring; to soconstruct the .means between the shaft and the operator I bar that sameserves as a lock to prevent the vwedge from being pushed home while thebreech plug is unlocked; to provide a twopoint connection between theshaft and operator bar, each of said points of connection beingeffective to move the bar when the shaft is rotated in one direction andineffective with respect to the bar when the shaft is rotated in theother direction; to provide a primer guide that can be easily andcheaply primer, said member 'or made and of a built up construction thatwill assure that action of every guide being the same and every guidebuilt bei'n usable; to provide an inclined stationary nger or member onthe rear end of the magazine bottom. to move thebottom primer,forward sothat the flange on the upper primer cannot getin front of the flan e onthe bottom ger also serving to move the forward end of the bottomprimerinto the primer guide; to provide an angular entrance to themagazine whereby the primer moves in and then laterally over in front ofa shoulder before going down so 3 that when the primer jumps up due togun fire or' closing of the breech mechanism it- Specifieation ofLetters Patent.

Patented July 15,1919.

Application filed February 3, 1916. Serial No. 75,981. I

to reduce the movement of the electric cable during-the operation of thelock; to remove the weight of the electric cable, terminal and terminalfork and its bolt from the firing pin; to limit the feeding stroke ofthe hammer by a shoulder on the hammer and in the plane of same andwhich strikes the central part of the receiver, saidshoulder addingweight to the hammer, during final locking movement of the wedge,forward of a plane passed through the hammer pivot parallel to thesliding movement of the wedge; to provide a hammer with a preponderanceof its mass located, during final locking movement of the wedge, forwardof a plane passed through the hammer pivot parallel to the movement ofthe wedge, so that when the wedge is suddenly stopped at firing positionthe momentum of the hammer will not rotate the same in the firing strokedirection and explode the primer; to make theside jaws of the hammer ofa separate piece to I cheapen its manufacture; to provide an extension.on the heel of the hammer to prevent the hammer rearing back too far,said extension adding weight forward of the hammer pivot; to extend thereceiver up between the prongs of the extractor to form an enteringguide for the primer; and to provide elastic means between the hammerand the main spring connection parts'to bufi' or delay the momentum ofsaid parts when the wedge is suddenly stopped at firing position.

In the drawings chosen for thepurpose of illustrating my invention thescope whereof is pointedout in the claims,.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a firing mechanism embodying myinvention with certain of the parts in plan and the mechanism shown inlocked or firing position;

Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the firing mechanism;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 an enlarged plan view of a fragment of the mechanism shown in Fi1 with the parts in position to initiate fee ing of a pr' 'imer into theprimer chamber of the Fig. 5, an enlarged horizontal "section of what isshown in Fig. 4 with the parts in firing position'; i

Fig. '6, a sectlon on the line Fig. 4

i of the primer guide, and

Fig. 10, a side vlew of one of-the spring,

fingers of the primer guide. h

In the drawingslO is 'the breech plug, 11 the mushroom stem, and 12 thecarrier. Ro-

tatably'mounted on the, carrier 12is the plug 7 V v v I operating shaft13 which is connectedto the j guidegbeing the same and every one made ben u le plug 10 in themannerset forth in my copendirig application filedNov. 24, 1914 Serial No. 87 37 55,now Patent No. 1,185,965,June'6',1916." i The firing mechanismf proper comprises 'a receiver14"which is detachably mounted on the mushroom stem, 11 through themedium of interlocking lugs as fully described Patent. 1,020,849 grantedto George" Smith and myself Marchv 19, 1912. The re 'ceiver issecuredinoperative position by means of a latch 15 mounted on the loweroperator barguide. The inner face of the receiver 14 is provided'with'recess 16 which receives an extractor 17 by which the primers areextracted from the primer seat 18 ofthe mushroom stem 11.- The endoftheextractor 17 whichis adjacent the'mushroom stem 11 is bifurcated toform parallel grooves 26 which are continued through the fingers 19which constituteamo'vable for the primer seat 18. In this instance andin contradisti-nction from the construction shown in U". S Patent1,020,849 I extend the receiver upbetween the fingers 19 of theextractor, as at 20, to form an entering guide for the primerstoprevent-the latter from moving into'theprimer seat ofi' center amming,such a conditlon being especially prevalent 1n the event a prnner guidefinger remote from the heel of the extractor should" be weak and anguide finger strong. Y

A wedge 21is slidably mounted. on. the receiver 14'fa'nd the extractor17 is actuated by the slidingimovement of this wedge all as is fullydescribed in the said U. S. Patent No.1,020,849. The wedge 21 carriesthe magazine 22, which latter is preferably integral Withthe wedge, andis arranged symmetrically .with respect to the primer guide recess-23through which the primersp'ass to opposite primer the primer seat '18."Meunted within the v recess 231s a primerguide A which I construct ofatubular' body member 24 seated directly in the recess'23 andsecured-inplace This member 24 is provided ext'eriorly with a pluralityof longitudinal rear end-ofthe member and receive respectively theinwardly bent ends27 of spring guidefingers 28 the latterextendingthrough 1-,the bo re of 1116511084124 and" converging j toward,each other in'"the directlon of the p 1 primer seat 18. By constructingthe guide fingers 28 separately. from the member 241 I greatly"simplify: the manufacture of the primer guide disclosedin U. S. PatentNo;

' 1,020,849.;byavoiding delicate machining of a frail. structure and theuncertain temper 1 primer guide of builtup'construction I am enabled tomake the fingers 28 fromv steel wire Whichhasbeen previously spr ng tern,p'erecl and thus assure the action oflfFevery -Qf the parts.Furthermore by' providing a 5 :end with a" primer. entrancei29 a portionof t h wall of which is inclined to the axis'of the magazine as at30,-wh il'e the opposite; I f wall of the magazine is provided with ashoulder 31. this construction the f 7 primer moves throughtheextr'ance' 29v and I closing of v the breech' mechanism. The

magazine 22 also embodies a bottom '32 hav-' ing an integral rearwardlyand "upwardly inclined finger 133 whichacts' on the lowermost'primertomove same forward so that its flange will'lief forward of the flange ofthe feeding of the primer is begun. By

thus moving the muzzle end of the lower-- primer whipping. upwardlyduring feeding and causing a jamor a misfeed;

" The firing hammer of "the mechanism is the primer nextlabove and sothat themuzzle end; of the lowermost primer will be entered 1 g intheprimer exit of the magazine before indicated generally at B and=ispivotally i mounted on'the wedge 21 at '34. This hammercarries the usual' insulated firing pin 35 and primer feeding prong 36, the latter being adapted to move in a slot 37 in the'side i of the magazineduring theoperation of feeding] a primer 8 I I v There is mounted on the, magazlne22 a spring actuated'ha'mmer latch 38 whlch serves to hold pivotally fthe: prong 136 against executing a. primer 1 feeding movement funtilthe'magazine reg-" isters' with the primer seat 18'. At' such. time anarm 39 on the latch 38 cooperates with the receiver to move the latch torelease position with respect to the prong 36.

By reference to'Fig. '5 it will be obvious that lhave constructed ,thehammer B so that, during final locking, movement of the e? eif r ereeeremefi i s, m ssil V jand-also byproviding anextension 41 on H [theheel'of the hammer to prevent the hamf 1n'e"r from-rearing back. too far, theextenbe located forward of a plane passed through the hammer pivotparallel to the sliding movement of the Wedge. Thus,

. when'the wedge is suddenly stopped at firing position the momentum ofthe hammer wlll not rotate same in the firlng stroke d1- re'ction andexplod the primer prematurely,

although such rotation of the hammer "wouldtake place under theconditions speci- .fied if a preponderance of its mass was lo- ."catedto the rear of a plane passed through the hammer pivot parallel to thesliding .-moven1ent of the wedge. I further guard "against prematurefiring of a primer by {locating the stop40, which limits the feedingstrokeof the hammer, so that its weight "will'be forward of the hammerpivot during' final locking movement of the Wedge,

sion'being so located as to add weight forward of the hammer pivot aswill beob- 'vi'ous. The hammer B carries the usual stops 42 forengagingabutments '48. on the receiver 'f14- so that the wedge 21 will remainstationary and inproper position while the hamjni'er-is feeding aprimer. In this instance I. construct the stops 42 from a separate pieceof material and then insert and suit,-

ably secure same 'in an opening 42 provided inthe hammerfor thatpurpose. By constructing the stops 42 of a separate piece I greatlycheapen'the cost of, manufacture.

*I further provide the firing hammer with a firing handle 44 and anabutment or exftension 45' disposed in parallel spaced relation to thehandle. 'Formed in the handle andfiahutment respectively are alined pas-I sages '46 and 47 the latter being of less diameter'than the former. Apin 48 is slidably engaged inthe passage 47 and is provided with aheadhaving a cylindrical inner v end 49 slidable in the passage 46, whilethe outer end of this-head terminates in a ball 50; The purpose of thispin will presently.

appear.

" a I will now describe the mechanism for withdrawing and returning thewedge 21 throughthe medium of the rotation of the shaft 13, it beingobvious upon an inspection of the drawings that the direction of thesliding movement of the wedge 21 is I at ,an angleto the axis of theshaft 13. Slidably mounted on the carrier 12 is a cam piece 51 having arecess 52 in its rear face" forming shoulders '53 and 54. This cam piececarries a forwardly extending finger 55 having a curved face 56 which amerges atone end with the wall 57 of a cam V groove 58 formed in thebottom of thecam piece51, the other wall of the groove '58 I beingindicated at 59. The'shaft 13 carries an arm 60 which is provided at itsfree end the operator bar. bar 63 remote from the wedge 21 is enlargedwith a stud 61 adapted to cotiperate with the face 56 and walls 57 and59 as will hereinafter appear. Mounted on the carrier 12 as at 64 toform a shoulder 65 adapted to cooperate with the shoulder 53 of the campiece 51, it being apparent that the enlargement 64 extends into therecess 52. The enlargement 64 is provided with a passage '66 and anoperator 67 connected to the operator bar by a pin and slot connectionextends into this passage. The outer end of the operator 67 normallyengages the shoulder 54 and is manually disengaged therefrom when it isdesired to withdraw.

and return the wedge 21 by hand all as is fully set forth in U. S.Patent No. 1,020,849. The operator 67 is yieldingly connected with thehammer B by means of a sleeve 68 and a rod 69 slidably mounted in thesleeve. The sleeve 68 is provided with a rounded lug O which is seatedin a corresponding bearing 71in th operator. The rod 69 is provided witha suitably shaped bearing 72 which receives the outer end 50 of the pin48. The sleeve 68 and rod 69 are provided respectively withcircumscribing flanges 73 and 74 and a firing spring 7 5 encircling thesleeve and rod seats at respective ends against these flanges.

As has been previously stated I utilize the pressure of the spring 75 toassure the contact of the terminal of the electric supply cable with theterminal of the conductor leading to the firing pin. To this end I mounton the pin 48 between the handle 44 and the extension 45 terminalinsulating washers 76 and 77 and an intermediate washer 7 8. The washer7 6 extends into the passage 46 and is separated from the head of. thepin 48 by a felt washer 79 the pur pose of which latter will bepresently referred to,-'while the washer 77 seats in an enlarged portion80 of the passage 47. The electric supply cable 81 has its terminalcontact 82 engaged around the washer 78, as is likewise the terminalcontact 83 of an electric conductor 84 which leads to the firing pin 35.I am thus enabled to utilize the pressure of the spring 75 to assurecontact between the terminals 82 and 83. The construction just describedalso enables me t'o'locate the terminal 82 of the cable 81 close to thepivot of the hammer and thereby reduce the movement of the cable 81during the operation of the mechanisms By providing the felt washer 79between the hammer and the main spring connection parts I am enabled tobufi' or delay thei 'rn omentum of said parts When the wedge is suddenlystopped at the firing position and thereby prevent the momentum of suchparts being instantly transmitted -to the firing hammer. v

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 the withdrawaland return of the wedge 21 during unlocking and l locking of the breechis effected as follows.- As plu unlocking rotation is imparted tothe-sha t 13 the stud 61 will coact withthe wall 57 of the groove .58and slide the cam piece 51. During this sliding movement of the campiece the shoulder 53 will engage the shoulder 65 and cause theoperatorbar 63 to move in unison with the cam pieceand thus withdraw the wedge21. When the wedge is fully withdrawn the stud 61 enters into engagementwith that portion of the wall 57 which constitutes in conjunction withthe face 56 of the finger the arc.

of a circle having a radius equal to the distance from the axis of theshaft 13 to the outermost face of the stud 61 so that-continued plugunlocking rotation of the shaft will be without effect on the cam piece51. It will be noted that when the plug 10 is unlocked the arm 60, stud61 and cam piece 51 serve as a lock to prevent the wedge '21 from beingpushed home. During locking rotation of the shaft 13 the stud 61 coactswith the wall 59 of the groove 58 and moves the cam piece toward thereceiver 14:. This movementlof the cam piece acts through the shoulder54, operator, 67 sleeve68, rod 69 and main spring 75 to push the wedge21 home. It will be noted that I provide a two-point connection betweenthe cam piece I and lock frame and that when'one point of connection iseffective to move theflock frame the other pointof connection isineffective. turn-of the wedge 21 the operation of the firing hammer Ais identical with that described in U. S. Patent No. 1,020,849r andneednot be referred to herein in detail. I

It will be noted that when I use the term lock frame in thespecification and claims I mean the wedge, operator bar and elementscarried by these parts. i i v 1 What I claim-is a y 1, In a breechmechanism, the combination of a carrier, a plug, a plug rotating shaft,a firing lock frame including. an operator bar and an operator, aslidable member between the operator bar and shaft reciprocated bytheopening-and closing rotation of the shaft, and means whereby thereciprocation of the member will-reciprocate the "lock frame a pushthelock framehome.

During the withdrawal and re-'.

2, vIn a breech mechanism, the combinzi:

tion of,a, carrier, a plug, a plug rotating shaft, a firing lock frameincluding an op erator bar andan' operator, a slidable mernber betweenthe operator bar and shaft re-I clprocated by the opening closing ro.

tation of the shaft,',an d means whereby the I reclprocation of saidmember will pull out v thelock frame through rigid connections, c

and vpush sa connectlons.

id .framehome through yielding i 4. In a breech mechanism, the-combina"tion of a c arrier,ja plugyfav plug rotating shaft, a firing lockframeincluding .-an-op.er--

atorbar and aIIQpBIftitOI, a slidable member" between, theioperator barandshaft reciprocatedby-the opening andclosing rotatiorrf of the shaft,andfspaced shoulders on said member one of which acts through rigid'connectionsito pull, the lockframe out and {the other through yieldingconnections to a 5. Ina breech mechanism, the

shaft, a firing'lock frame-including an op rcombination of acarrier, a.plug, a plugrotating ioof ator barand; an operator, a slidable memberbetween the operator bar and shaft reciprocated' by the opening andclosing rotation of the shaft,*and s acedf'shoulders on said member. oneof which acts against the opera: jtorbar to pullout the lock frame andthe other against the operator to pushthe lock frame. home.

6. Tin a breech 'mechanism the combina-' tion of a carrier, a plug, aplug rotating 'shaft, a firing lock frame including an operator bar andanoperator, a slidable member between-the operator bar and shaft re-.ciprocated by the opening and closing rota "tion' ofthe shaft andhaving a limited slidfing movement relatively to the operator bar,

and means whereby the reciprocation .of the I member will areciprocatethe lock frame.

7; In a breech mechanism, the combination of a carrier, a plug, a plugrotating shaft, a firing lock frame including an op-f erator bar and anoperator, a slidablefmem ber between the operator bar and shaftreciprocated' -by the opening and closing r0- tation of the shaft andhaving a limited sllding movement relatively to the operator bar, andmeans whereby the reciproca tion of said member will pull out the lockframe through rigid connections and push 8. In. a breech mechanism, thecombination of a carrier, a plug, a. plug rotating shaft, a firing lockframe including an op:

erator bar and an operator, and a slidable member between the operatorbar and shaft reciprocated by. the opening and closing rotation of theshaft and having a limited sliding movement relatively to the operatorbar, said member operating during move ment in one: direction actingdirectly against the operator-bar to pull out the lock frame andduringmovement in the opposite direction directly against the operator to pushthe lock frame home.

{ '9. In abreech mechanism, the combination of a carrier, a plug, a plugrotating shaft, a firing lock frame including an operator bar and anoperator, 2. slidable member between the operator bar and shaft hav-"ing'cam faces thereon, an arm on said shaft H opening and closingrotation of the shaft recooperating with said cam faces duringspectively to reciprocate said member, and

means whereby the reciprocation of the member will reciprocate the lockframe.

10. A cartridge guide comprising a tubular member, and a lurality ofguide fingers detachably interloc ed with the member.

11. A cartridge guide comprising a tubular member, and a plurality ofguide fingers formed independently of the member and detachablyinterlocked therewith.

12. A cartridge guide comprising a tubular member, and a plurality ofguide fingers detachably interlocked with said member and extendingthrough the bore thereof.

13. A cartrldge guide comprising a tubular member'having groovestherein, and a plurality of guide fingers having a portionthereof-respectively seated in said grooves.

14. In a firing lock for guns, a firing hammer, a firing hammer spring,a firing pin carried by the firing hammer and insulated therefrom, anelectric supply conductor connected to the firing hammer and 1n-.sulated therefrom, an electric conductor '1 connecting the firstconductor and the firing pin, and means operated by the pressure of thefiring hammer spring to maintain the first and second conductors incontact.

15. In a firing lock for guns, a plvoted firing hammer, a firing hammerspring, a

' firing pin carried by the firing hammer and insulated therefrom, anelectr1c supply conductor connected to the firing hammer and insulatedtherefrom, an electric conductor I connecting the first conductor andthe firing pin, and means operated by the pressure ofthe firing hammerspring to maintain the first and second conductors in contact.

16. In a firing lock for guns, a pivoted firing hammer, 'a firing pincarried by the hammer and insulated therefrom, an electric supplyconductor connected tothe hammer relatively near the pivot thereof, anda second electric conductor between the first conductor and the firingpin.

.17. In a firing lock for guns, a pivoted firing hammer, a firing pincarried by the hammer and insulated therefrom, a firing hammer spring, afiring hammer spring connection carried by the firing hammer, anelectric supply conductor leading to the spring connection and insulatedtherefrom, and a second electric conductor between the firing pin andspring connection and insulated from the latter, the ends of saidconductors at the spring connection being clamped together by the firinghammer gaged on the, plunger stem and insulated therefrom, a secondelectric conductor having one terminal connected with the firing pin andits other terminal engaged on the plunger stem for contact with theterminal of the first conductor, and means operated by the pressure ofthe hammer spring for forcing the plunger in the direction of theabutment to clamp the adjacent terminals of the first and secondconductors in contact.

19. In a firing lock, a pivoted firing hammer, a firing hammer spring, afiring pin carried by the hammer, and insulated therefrom,'an abutmenton the hammer, a plunger having a stem slidable in said abutment, anelectric supply conductor having a terminal engaged on the plunger stemand insulated therefrom, a second electric conductor having one terminalconnected with the firing pin and its other terminal engaged on theplunger stem for contact with the terminal of the first conductor, andmeans operated by the pressure of the hammer spring for forcing theplunger in the direction of the abutment to clamp the adjacent terminalsof the first and second conductors in contact.

20. In a firing look, a receiver, a Wedge slidable thereon, means formoving the wedge to and from firing position, and a firing hammerpivoted on the wedge and having a preponderance of its mass during finalmovement of the wedge to firing position disposed forward of a planepassed through its pivot parallel to the sliding movement of the wedge.

21. In a firing look, a receiver, a wedge with the receiver to limitsuch feeding move-f ment, said extension being disposed, during finalfeeding movement of; the Wedge'to' firing position, forward of a planepassed 'th r'ou'gh' the pivot of the firing'hammer parallel to the linedf movement of the Wedge.

'22. In it firing lock, '2; receiver, a wedge sli'dsible' thereon, ahammer pivoted to the wedge; firing pin carried by the hammer,

and an extension on the inner end of the hammer engagezible with thereceiver to limit rearward mo ement of the hammer,

saidexte'nsi'on being disposed entirely on the side of the hammer pivotopposite to the firin'g pin and forward of a" plane passed through thepivot of the hammer parallel to the line of movement of the Wedge.

23. In a firing look, a receiver, a Wedgeslidable thereon, a firinhammer pivoted on;

copies a: this patent maybe obtained of plunger having a stem slidable'in' the tbdte'f 7 emma" the Wedge, a firing h'gi m'nier Spring; a'ndii]bulfer interposed between the sprmg;a,nd"-

hammer. 24:. In a firing lock, a receiver', a Wedge slid able thereon; afiringhain'rner pivoted 1m the wedge, "anabutment on thehamlnerfajplungerhaving a stem slidable-in the abut-1* ment, 2, firin hammer sprin'eoperaft'ng a ainst the p unger, and "a bufingelernefit I interposedbetween the plunger and ment. I

25, In avfirin'g lookyfa receiverfa Q" slidaible thereon,a'firing-hamrrierpivote p the Wedge; annbutmenton the. h mmer, a

ment, and a firing'h'emmer spring5 per2iting f agalnst the plunger. I Intestimony whereof I" g'l'ifix sigma 'ture', in the presence o'ftv'vosubscribing Q DORSEY FRosTifisBU-Rvn ,Witnes'ses: A. G. LEZECH, J12,

"ve eents eats", addressing the Commissioner "of Plteiifi 1 Washington,13.0. I

